Experimental space for Borodyanka
On April 1, 2025, the anniversary of the village's liberation from Russian occupation, a temporary experimental Active Park opened in Borodyanka. The temporary format of the location was chosen to understand what activities are most interesting to visitors to the space, and what types of sports should be considered when implementing a permanent solution.
Renderings: Big City Lab
The active park has become extremely popular among residents.
“Active parks are a vivid example of comprehensive recovery. After all, we are not only talking about buildings and roads, but about creating an environment for communication, development and recreation. Such spaces help people feel that life goes on, they unite communities. It is important that we actively develop the concept of Active Parks in front-line regions as well,” — says Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine - Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba.
What will the permanent space be like?
“We are not building a sports ground, but a space for the entire community, all age groups, with an emphasis on youth. In this space, the sports function is the main one, and the heroes are those who go out to the ground and play sports. Therefore, the Park unites the entire community and works to popularize physical activity, which is crucial for mental health during wartime,” — explains Max Yakover, founder of the full-cycle urban bureau Big City Lab.
Renderings: Big City Lab
During the six months of the temporary park's existence, the teams observed how people used the space and collected feedback. For example, parents who came here with children asked for more recreation areas, including in the shade. People also shared that they lacked a public restroom in the Park and equipped exits to the lakes located around it.
At the same time, the community had a request to expand the space.
“The future full-fledged Park will retain the main concept of activating the space around the lake, but at the same time will provide more public areas for meetings, green recreational landscape spaces, and spaces for street cultures,” – shares Anastasia Paliy, urban planner and project manager at the Urban Reform urban development office.
After analyzing the user experience, the teams began developing a permanent solution.
Renderings: Big City Lab
Instead of a plywood ramp and pump track, there will be a concrete skate park where you can ride skateboards and stunt scooters, BMX bikes and roller skates. Instead of a 3x3 streetball field, there will be a space for 5x5 street basketball. And the small playground will be transformed into a large play space for children of all ages.
New sports locations will also be added - playgrounds for panna football, 3x3 street football, boxing, and a fitness zone. Borodyanka is actively involved in volleyball, there are several teams, so the updated location will have two volleyball courts.
“This is an incredible space. An active park near two lakes creates an atmosphere of active recreation and charges this place with the youth energy of street culture and sports. And most importantly, it gives young people their place in the community,” –– notes Yegor Matyukhin, co-founder of the street culture platform Street Culture.
In addition to sports areas, there will be more space for adult visitors to relax: a terrace by the water where you can conduct outdoor activities, piers and shaded resting places. There will be a cafe and a public restroom.
Renderings: Big City Lab
The Active Park will have a central square, thanks to which the space will be transformed into a place for sports and cultural events and festivals.
The active park will encompass the entire area around the two lakes. New walking routes and approaches to the water will be created here.
The park will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will include all sports locations, restrooms, a place for quiet games, and a central square. The second phase will include the area around the lake, further from the road, with walking routes and access to the water.
Common places where life goes on — despite everything
Shared spaces help people feel part of a community again. And for Borodyanka, where the reconstruction process is already underway, the restoration of public places is as important as the restoration of residential buildings or social infrastructure. Because it is the shared spaces that fill the city with life and return a sense of stability to residents.
The project initiators also emphasize that in wartime, work on sports infrastructure is important: physical activity reduces stress levels, promotes cohesion and interaction between people.
The project in Borodyanka is being implemented within the framework of the President of Ukraine's program "Active Parks" and is being implemented by the Kyiv Regional Military Administration and Borodyanka Village Council together with the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine. The project was developed and implemented by the teams of the urban bureau Big City Lab, Urban Reform and the street culture platform Street Culture.
See also:
Experimental Active Park: a new sports space opened in Borodyanka
A modern Active Park for youth and veterans will be built in Boyarka